Promoting a Band on a Low Budget

It can be difficult to promote a band and make it stand out amidst all the artists trying to be heard today and it is even more difficult on a low budget. However, musicians today have the advantage of access to numerous free resources for developing visibility, promoting their music and developing a fan base. Here are some of the ways to promote a band on a budget.  

Create a website

A band needs its own website as this is a fundamental marketing tool today. It is not difficult to set up a website and if you have a web address that’s easy to remember, fans can find you online. Make the website simple to navigate and offer all pertinent information about the band, from tour dates to album release information. 

A blog with entertaining, creative and informative content can go a long way towards helping your website show up in search results. For instance, you could offer advice on buying a guitar, write about what inspires the band or keep fans posted on the happenings at a specific gig. 

Set up a Facebook page

Social media promotion is essential for artists. It can do wonders for gaining and retaining fans. A Facebook page for your band will offer exposure to millions of people and you can link it to your website. Posting regular updates, interacting with fans and offering some incentives to ‘like’ your Facebook page can help your audience to grow. 

According to dissertation writing service experts, fans who like the music you share on your Facebook page will want to share it with their friends. If fans are interested enough to go to your website from your Facebook page, they are likely to sign up as subscribers to your email list. 

Interact with fans on Twitter

Twitter is a great free tool you can use to interact with fans. You can give information on tours, post photos of gigs and videos of behind-the-scene band happenings. It’s important to have a Twitter account in the name of the band and some of the band members could also have individual accounts. 

If you’re approachable to your fans and they feel connected to you, they will be far more enthusiastic about supporting the band. You can choose how little or how much personal information you want to share. 

Follow other musicians and bands as well as top industry professionals, many of whom are very active on Twitter and often offer promotional tips that artists can use. 

Upload songs and get feedback

If you want to get an idea of what fans think about a new demo, it’s easy to post MP3 files on Soundcloud to share with your audience. You can also post them on your website, Facebook page and send out tweets requesting fans to listen on Soundcloud and give their feedback. You can also create 15-second “reels” on Instagram that are a cut to a song, host live streams on Facebook or upload your music on YouTube. 

Get radio play

Make your band known to radio stations in your local area. If you can’t get big radio stations to give your music airtime, college radio stations may be open to playing your band’s music and giving it some free publicity. 

It is also worth considering some internet radio stations that exist today. Do some internet searching and ask friends and colleagues whether they know about stations that may help you to get a start. Send them an email with a link to your website and a Soundcloud clip of a track or two of your music.  

Do live performances

Every time your band gets up on a stage, you are marketing yourselves so you need to be conscious about the image you want to create. Meet and greet fans, pose for photos and recognize that your band’s success is dependent on them. 

Have merchandise for sale – it doesn’t have to be super expensive. It’s a good idea to get some local artists to create designs for items like T-shirts, mugs and buttons. 

Get fans and a street team to promote the band

Once you have already developed a fan base, a street team is a cost-effective way to promote your brand. You can enlist your fans to promote your music in your hometown. Street teams can attend local shows and hand out flyers. 

They can send out updates on social media. Street teams usually work on their own schedule but you can work alongside them to make sure they have the resources they need and that the person overseeing the activities is organized and reliable.  

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Managers, promoters and a PR team all cost money. If you don’t have the money, you will need to ask other people for help. For instance, there are always students studying music, management, or marketing at university who may be willing to offer their expertise for free to gain the real-life experience they need. You may find that family and friends are quite willing to pass out flyers or put up posters to advertise an upcoming gig.  

Conclusion

Using free resources can help you to make sure everybody knows about your band. When you use the above methods, it won’t be long before the word spreads and your fan base starts to grow. Fans can be an amazing resource and maximize word-of-mouth marketing which is essential to your band’s long-term success. 

Author Bio:

Jake S. Platt is a 31-year-old content writer who holds a master’s degree in marketing. Content writing is his full-time job and he has been writing since his school days. He wrote his first story at age 15 and that makes him an exceptional writer who influences his audiences greatly.